A parent's guide to social media: Part 1 - Facebook

Allison Tait

It’s a brave new world out there in cyberspace. In this series, we look at the pros and cons of different social media from a parent’s perspective. First up, we’re talking about Facebook.

It’s a brave new world out there in cyberspace. A place full of Kiks and Tweets and anonymous questions. It’s also a place full of children – your children – and unfortunately, many parents don’t seem to be aware of its presence, let alone its pitfalls.

The internet is not a child’s playground

“A large proportion of parents are not aware of the dangers of social media channels for children,” says cyber bullying expert Susan McLean of Cyber Safety Solutions. “On the surface, they will have read an article, but as for really understanding it, no.” The reasons for this are manifold: they don’t get the technology, they don’t use it or they don’t understand that children do not use social media in the same way as adults.

“You can trust your child about a whole lot of things, and they can be good kids from good schools and good families – and still have problems online,” says Susan. “The internet is not a child’s playground and parents need to understand that. They need to adequately parent in cyberspace and check up on what their kids do.”

Her first tip: keep kids off age-restricted sites. “Get kids conforming to the right thing,” she says.

For Nathalie Brown, child behaviour consultant at Easy Peasy Kids, Melbourne, it’s not always that easy. “We need to accept that [social media] is happening and that it’s not going away,” she says. “You can’t just take away all electronic devices – we need to speak to our children more about it. The biggest problem we’re seeing with kids and social media at the moment is overuse.”

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say, so we’ve put together a guide to some of the most popular social media platforms for kids right now – including the ones you’ve never heard of. Let’s start with the obvious – Facebook.

Facebook (facebook.com)

What is it?

The world’s most popular social networking site. Originally designed for college students, it now has more than a billion users worldwide.

How does it work?

Facebook can be as public or as private as you like. It allows users to see updates and posts from friends, as well as to follow public pages and profiles of people and subjects in which they’re interested.

Why kids like it

While latest reports suggest that tweens and teens are turning away from Facebook because, basically, there are too many adults ruining their party, most will still have an account. “I like it because I can look at photos, keep in contact with people both near and far, and organise events for my friends,” says Danielle Gibson, 14, from Nowra, NSW. “I use it to talk to people, to see what they’ve been doing and where they’ve been.”

What you need to know

Age requirements: Facebook requires users to be 13 years or older to create an account.

With the most established name in the social media space at the moment, Facebook is often cited as a no-go area for tweens and teens. But Susan believes parents should rethink. “Most of the mobile apps are far more dangerous than Facebook has ever been,” she says. “At least with Facebook, whether you like it or not, you can have almost 100 percent safety, as long as you set your account up correctly. You can block people, prevent them from contacting you, and there are great reporting options. In an app, you’re out on a limb.”

It’s essential that parents learn the ins and outs of Facebook’s privacy options (which, users will tell you, change regularly) and ensure their kids’ accounts are set up correctly. Be aware that, despite Facebook’s large team of moderators, inappropriate content and predators still operate on Facebook.

Don’t forget the basics

In the swirl of ever-changing technology, it’s easy to forget that there are some basic rules every kid needs to know before they venture online in any way.

Be careful what you share. Make sure kids, particularly when they’re starting out, know that home addresses, phone numbers, schools and other personal information is off limits online. If they’re asked for them, even at the sign-up stage for an app, they need to double-check with an adult before handing over the details.

Age limits matter. Most apps and social media platforms have an age minimum of 13. “This is a legal age,” says Susan. “It’s not decided by the app or the website, but comes out of a law in the US.” That law is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The App Store also imposes its own ratings – and it’s worth noting the 17+ rating on Kik.

Parents know passwords. Keep track of your kids’ account information so you can keep an eye on their profiles. Let them know that your intention is not to spy, but to keep them safe.

No one else knows passwords. Remind your kids that passwords and logins are not to be shared with friends, no matter how close. If other kids can log in, there’s a much bigger chance of cyberbullying or other online trouble.

Don’t talk to strangers. While many parents have this conversation about the playground, they overlook the importance of it online. Keep an eye on the profiles of those your kids are associating with online and make sure it’s only people they know in real life. If you spot someone you don’t know, ask about them.

Next week’s Parents’ Guide to Social Media will take a look at the micro-blogging site, Tumblr.

Are your kids on Facebook? What are your rules for their use of social media?

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